Advanced helmet including a sub-shell with an outer shell attached thereto

ABSTRACT

A protection helmet is provided which includes a main outer shell having a longitudinal symmetry plane (P), a head band and a chin strap. The helmet also includes a sub-shell on which the main outer shell is secured.

This invention relates to a safety helmet, and more precisely a helmet which is constituted of an inner helmet shell retaining at least the outer shell and advantageously the chin strap, the head band and the cap.

Safety helmets have for a long time been in current use in different fields either professionally as is the case for military personnel, aircraft or helicopter pilots, police officers or firemen, or civilly or privately, as is the case for users of motorcycles, rally or racing cars, or employees on construction sites.

These helmets of prior art are generally formed of a more or less rigid outer shell and an inside lining intended to allow for the installation of the helmet and to favour the comfort of the user, and further comprise a retaining chin strap.

The purpose of the invention is thus to propose a construction of a helmet that is particularly simple, reliable, and that does not require special tools to be assembled.

As such the safety helmet of the invention comprises a main outer shell of longitudinal plane of symmetry, a head band as well as a chin strap, and is characterised in that said helmet comprises an inner helmet shell on which is attached the main outer shell.

According to additional characteristics, the inner helmet shell has the form of a substantially circular wide strip of plastic material, constituted by a peripheral wall, while the main outer shell is attached in a releasable manner to the inner helmet shell thanks to releasable means of connections.

Add that the means of connections are constituted by at least three points of connections, i.e. first means integral with the inner helmet shell intended to interact with second means integral with the main outer shell.

Also note that the main outer shell is attached advantageously to the inner helmet shell in four points, i.e. a rear point, a front point, two lateral points, a left lateral point and a right lateral point, while the rear fastening point and the front fastening point are realised by a projection interacting with a hollow.

According to another characteristic, the inner helmet shell comprises a rear embedding cup intended to interact with a rear projection of corresponding dimension projecting towards the interior of the main outer shell, on the lower rear wall portion, as well as a front embedding housing intended to interact with a front projection of corresponding dimensions projecting towards the interior of the main outer shell, on the upper front wall portion, on the frontal area of the shell, while an elastic tongue is provided with after engagement of said projection returns to its initial position in order to provide the locking of it.

The inner helmet shell further comprises, on each side a fastening hole, in each of which is engaged a releasable corresponding fastening projection respectively of which the locking is provided by a locking pin.

Note that each one of the fastening projections are independent parts, which are for example coming from lateral hooking parts intended for example for attaching a respiratory mask, or a lighting lamp, even a pivoting facial shield.

The inner helmet shell also provides the retaining of the chin strap, and the peripheral wall of the inner helmet shell comprises to this effect a set of holes intended for the passage of the straps of the chin strap, and also provides the retaining of the cap which is attached to it on the inner helmet shell by a clipping means, in order to form an inner subunit.

Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will come from the following description with regards to the annexed drawings which are given only by way of non-limiting examples.

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of the helmet according to the invention.

FIG. 2 is a view of the inner subset, inner helmet shell/cap.

FIG. 3 is a view under the shell.

FIG. 4 is a cross-section of the helmet according to the vertical plane of general symmetry.

The safety helmet shown by way of example in FIG. 1 bearing the general reference (1) is for example a fireman's helmet, (but could be a helmet of any other type, as for example a military, cyclist, motorcyclist or other) which has a longitudinal plane of general symmetry (P) which comprises in a known manner a main outer shell (2) as well as a chin strap (12) providing the maintaining of the helmet on the head of the user. Moreover the helmet comprises in a known manner a cap (13) as well as a head band (14), and can also include a pivoting facial shield (15).

The main outer shell (2) is comprised by a substantially spherical wall of vertical plane of general symmetry (P) which is made advantageously from composite material of the type comprising for example a stacking of layers of reinforcing fibres, impregnated and linked to one another by a resin matrix. The fibres can be glass, aramid, Nylon, polyethylene or carbon fibres, while the matrix can be a resin of the thermosetting or thermoplastic type. Of course, the shell could be of any other material as, for example made by injection of a plastic material, and advantageously of a filled plastic material.

The main outer shell (2) comprises several wall portions, as is shown in FIG. 1, i.e. an upper front wall portion (3) extended towards the rear by an upper rear wall portion (4), itself extended towards the bottom by a lower rear wall portion (5), and further comprises two lateral wall portions (6 a, 6 b).

The upper front portion (3) corresponds to the area occupied by the forehead of the user and is limited by the upper edge (7) of the facial opening (8) which is limited laterally by two lateral edges (9 a, 9 b).

The upper front wall portion (3) corresponds to the area occupied by the skull of the user, while the lower rear wall portion (5) corresponds to the area occupied by the nape of the user.

Add to this that the wall of the shell is limited towards the bottom by a lower edge (10). The lateral wall portions (7 a, 7 b) correspond to the areas occupied by the ears of the user and are limited towards the front by the corresponding lateral edge (9) of the facial opening (8) and towards the bottom by the lower edge (10).

According to the invention, the safety helmet (1) comprises means of maintaining the main shell (2) constituted by an inner helmet shell (11).

Moreover this inner helmet shell (11) provides the retaining of the chin strap (12) allowing the adjustment and the fastening of the helmet (1) on the head of the user.

The inner helmet shell (11) has the form of a substantially circular wide strip made of plastic material, constituted by a peripheral wall. According to the invention the main outer shell (2) is attached in a releasable manner to the inner helmet shell (11) thanks to releasable means of connections. These means are constituted by at least three points of connections of the first means integral with the inner helmet shell (11) intended to interact with second means integral with the main outer shell (2).

According to the preferred embodiment given by way of example the main outer shell (2) is attached to the inner helmet shell (11) in four points, i.e. a rear point (16), a front point (17), two lateral points (18 a, 18), a left lateral point (18 a) and a right lateral point (18 b).

The rear point of fastening (16) is realised by a projection interacting with a hollow. As such, the inner helmet shell (11) comprises an embedding cup (19) intended to interact with a rear projection (20) of corresponding dimension projecting towards the interior of the main outer shell, on the lower rear wall portion (5).

The front fastening point (17) is realised by a projection interacting with a hollow profile. As such, the inner helmet shell (11) comprises an embedding housing (21) intended to interact with a front projection (22) of corresponding dimensions projecting towards the interior of the main outer shell, on the upper front wall portion (3), on the frontal area of the shell. In order to allow for the engagement of the front projection (22) in its corresponding housing (21) of the inner helmet shell, an elastic tongue (210) is provided which after engagement of said projection returns to its initial position in order to provide the locking of it.

The lateral fastening points (18 a, 18 b) are each realised by a projection interacting with a hollow profile. As such, the inner helmet shell (11) comprises on each side a fastening hole (23 a, 23 b), in each of which is engaged a releasable corresponding fastening projection respectively (24 a, 24 b) of which the locking is provided by a locking pin (25). As such, each one of the fastening projections (24 a, 24 b) is engaged in a hole (180 a, 180 b) of the lateral wall of the shell as well as in the fastening hole (23 a, 23 b) of the inner helmet shell, and its locking is provided by the locking pin which is engaged in a corresponding hole (240) made in the fastening projection.

The fastening projections (24 a, 24 b) are independent parts, which are for example coming from lateral hooking parts (30) intended for example for attaching a respiratory mask, or a lighting lamp, even a pivoting facial shield.

Add that according to the preferred embodiment of the invention such as is shown, the inner helmet shell is also intended to retain the chin strap (12). To this effect, the peripheral wall of the inner helmet shell comprises a set of holes (26 a, 26 b-27 a, 27 b) intended for the passage of the straps of the chin strap. The latter is therefore attached to the inner helmet shell (11), not to the shell (2) as is the case in conventional helmets.

Also note that the cap (13) which is also attached on the inner helmet shell (11) by a clipping means. It is therefore the inner helmet shell that retains this cap.

Add that the helmet of the invention comprises a comfortable lining (28), installed under the cap which is intended to be in contact with the head of the user and provide him with good wearing comfort.

Moreover, the helmet comprises a head band (14). Said band with the chin strap provides the maintaining of the helmet on the head of the user.

The head band (14) which is constituted by a peripheral strip is attached to the inner helmet shell (11). The band (14) is made for example of deformable or similar plastic material, in such a way as to be able to hug the periphery of the head of the user in order to provide a good retaining of the helmet and this with an optimal comfort. Note that the peripheral dimension of the strip can be adjusted in order to adapt to the morphology and particular to the dimensions of the head of the user. To this effect, means for adjusting are provided as for example those described in French patent application 0605223.

As such, the assembly of the helmet requires little manipulation and is accomplished without any particular tools.

The cap (13) is in a first step clipped on the inner helmet shell (11). Then the shell is installed on the inner helmet shell. For this, the rear embedding cup (19) of the inner helmet shell is engaged around the rear projection (20) of the shell, then the front of the inner helmet shell is pivoted in order to clip to the front projection (22) of the shell in the embedding housing (21) of the inner helmet shell (11) and this via deformation of the front locking tongue (210). The shell is then in its position in relation to the inner helmet shell, and each one of the moveable fastening projections (24 a, 24 b) are then engaged in a hole (180 a, 180 b) of the lateral wall of the shell as well as in the fastening hole of the inner helmet shell (11), and its locking is provided by the locking pin which is engaged in a corresponding hole (240) made in the fastening projection.

The chin strap (11) is advantageously of the three-point or four-point type and is constituted in a known manner by a set of flexible straps with chin guard.

Of course, the invention is not limited to the embodiments described and shown by way of example, but it also includes all of the equivalent techniques as well as their combinations. 

1. A safety helmet comprising a main outer shell of longitudinal plane of symmetry, a head band, and a chin strap, wherein said helmet comprises an inner helmet shell on which is attached the main outer shell.
 2. The safety helmet as set forth in claim 1, wherein the inner helmet shell has the form of a substantially circular wide strip of plastic material, comprised by a peripheral wall.
 3. The safety helmet as set forth in claim 2, wherein the main outer shell is attached in a releasable manner to the inner helmet shell by releasable means of connections.
 4. The safety helmet as set forth in claim 3, wherein the means of connections are comprised by of at least three points of connections and include first means integral with the inner helmet shell intended to interact with second means integral with the main outer shell.
 5. The safety helmet as set forth in claim 4, wherein the main outer shell is attached to the inner helmet shell in four points, including a rear point, a front point, two lateral points, a left lateral point and a right lateral point.
 6. The safety helmet as set forth in claim 5, wherein the rear fastening point and the front fastening point are realized by a projection interacting with a hollow.
 7. The safety helmet as set forth in claim 6, wherein the inner helmet shell comprises an embedding cup intended to interact with a rear projection of corresponding dimension projecting towards the interior of the main outer shell, on a lower rear wall portion.
 8. The safety helmet as set forth in claim 6, wherein the inner helmet shell comprises an embedding housing intended to interact with a front projection of corresponding dimensions projecting towards the interior of the main outer shell, on the upper front wall portion, on the frontal area of the shell, while an elastic tongue is provided which after engagement of said projection returns to its initial position in order to provide the locking of it.
 9. The safety helmet as set forth in claim 5, wherein the lateral fastening points are realized each by a projection interacting with a hollow profile.
 10. The safety helmet as set forth in claim 9, wherein the inner helmet shell comprises on each side a fastening hole, in each of which is engaged a releasable corresponding fastening projection respectively of which the locking is provided by a locking pin.
 11. The safety helmet as set forth in claim 10, wherein the fastening projections are independent parts, which come for example from lateral hooking parts intended for example for attaching a respiratory mask, or a lighting lamp, even a pivoting facial shield.
 12. The safety helmet as set forth in claim 1, wherein the inner helmet shell provides the retaining of the chin strap, and a peripheral wall of the inner helmet shell comprises to this effect a set of holes intended for the passage of the straps of the chin strap.
 13. The safety helmet as set forth in claim 1, wherein a cap is attached to it on the inner helmet shell by means of clipping, in order to form an inner subunit.
 14. The safety helmet as set forth in claim 1, wherein the head band which is comprised by a peripheral strip is attached to the inner helmet shell. 